


Interwoven Lives

by Ghostinthehouse



Category: Emelan - Tamora Pierce, PIERCE Tamora - Works
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 11:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17120237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostinthehouse/pseuds/Ghostinthehouse
Summary: A lifetime of Sandry's work





	Interwoven Lives

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlexSeanchai (EllieMurasaki)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieMurasaki/gifts).



_Extract from the Summersea Museum of Faith and Magic guide to the Silver Jubilee exhibition:_

Exhibit 14c: Ducal Clothing

As part of our celebration of this twenty-fifth year of Duke Kedris's rule, we have a display of clothing from the wardrobe of Duchess Sandrilene, the grandmother of Duke Kedris, who has kindly opened both the ducal and his personal archives and loaned the museum the following items along with an account of their history, family tradition, and general historical context.

 

1\. A cream silk dress with blue panels in the skirt, a collar of crystal beading, and gold embroidery. Note the repeating motif of four interlocked circles, said to represent the interweaving of family, and the crystals enchanted to shine in the dark.

Worn by Duchess Sandrilene when she was invested as Duchess, as well as the following feast where she made her famous speech dedicating herself to Summersea and vowing never to take a husband. When questioned about heirs, she pointed out that the Empress of Namorn had set a legal precedent by producing heirs without requiring marriage and reiterated that she would fulfil all her duties to Summersea to the best of her ability. In this she was backed by her brother and sisters, mages all. On loan from the duke's personal archives.

 

1a. A bronze silk tunic and dark blue leggings, in the Trader style, with bands of gold embroidery at the collar and cuffs. Note the flame motif and, once again, the four interlocking circles positioned so that the wearer's mage medal hung precisely in its centre.

Worn by Daja Kisubo, sister, craft advisor, and _saati_ to Duchess Sandrilene, at the duchess's investiture. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

1b. A deep green silk tunic and blue breeches with bands of gold embroidery at collar, cuffs, and hem. Note the twining vine motif and, once again, the four interlocking circles positioned so that the wearer's mage medal hung precisely in its centre.

Worn by Briar Moss, brother and farm advisor to Duchess Sandrilene, at the duchess's investiture. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

1c. A deep blue silk dress, with white panels in the skirt and bands of gold embroidery at the collar and hem. Note the raindrop and bird motifs and, once again, the four interlocking circles positioned so that the wearer's mage medal hung precisely in its centre.

Worn by Trisana Chandler, sister, seneschal, and trade advisor to Duchess Sandrilene, at the duchess's investiture. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

2\. A full set of a dozen dance costumes, cut to resemble hawks and rats, from "The Battle of the Rat King" as worn in the inaugural performance of the Pasco Netdancer Dance School, in the ninth year of Duchess Sandrilene's rule.

Pasco Netdancer was, in his youth, a student under Duchess Sandrilene and Yazmin Hebet, and the duchess kindly provided the costumes for this performance. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

3\. A set of cream silk Yangjini robes, said to have been worn by the duchess's brother Briar on his visit to the Yangjini Emperor, prior to the First Rosebush War.

It was during the Second of the Rosebush Wars that he infamously named them so, stating that roses had thorns for a reason. One should not reach out and grasp whatever one desired without consequence and that even thorny roses had a right to live. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

4\. A golden hairnet, traditionally worn by the Mage Trisana, variously called Stormsinger, Lightning Rod, and Earthshaker.

Trisana, sister to Duchess Sandrilene, served as trade advisor and seneschal in her sister's council. In addition, she is remembered for rebuilding the fallen lighthouses on the coast, and resolving the problem of a multi-year drought. Some say that the drought originally formed as the backwash of a curse deflected from the duchess's person, but nothing has ever been proved of that, and unless it is, it remains a rumour. On loan from the duke's personal archives.

 

5\. A presentation shawl of lacy white wool, with silver and blue trim. Note the signs for health and protection stitched into the corners, the crest of Summersea in the centre, and the blue bracelets and anklets to hold it in place.

Worn by each of the duchess's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren when they were first presented to the public as babies. On loan from the duke's personal archives.

 

6\. A cloth of gold tunic and leggings in the Trader style, heavy with embroidery and brocade, with a Trader's staff beside it. Note how the band of decoration around the tunic hem matches that of the staff cap.

Worn by Duchess Sandrilene's sister and _saati_ Daja Kisubo on her wedding day. Tradition has it that this particular cloth was chosen so that Daja, being a metal mage, might have the source of her magic with her at all times on her wedding day. On loan from the duke's personal archives.

 

6a. A white silk dress, covered in white and silver embroidery, with a matching lace veil and pearl necklace.

Worn by Daja's wife on her wedding day. Note that all the flowers and leaves represented in the embroidery are from edible species, in deference to her being a cook-mage. On loan from the duke's personal archives.

 

7\. A pair of fingerless green woollen gloves, undecorated. Note the enchantments for warmth and pain relief worked into the knitting stitches.

Made by Duchess Sandrilene for her one-time mentor, Dedicate Lark, after the latter's hands grew too arthritic to manage fine detail. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

8\. A simple patchwork quilt, with no two squares alike.

Inspired by the Trader custom of immortalising the main events of their lives on their staffs, Duchess Sandrilene chose to make this quilt. Each square symbolises a year in her life. Black bordered squares indicate the loss of close family, most notably her parents, her uncle, and her brother. Interestingly, her cousin, despite being Empress of Namorn, does not receive a black border to mark the year she died, even though her mentor does.

Following Sandrilene's death, her surviving sisters, Daja and Trisana, added a final 77th square of plain black and scarlet stripes, those being the mourning colours in both their cultures. On loan from the ducal archives.

 

 


End file.
